High speed punch



Marchi3, 1964 Filed Oct. 31, 1962 Air Pressure Source 1 I I 24 i l l l l L -h @i,

J. RABlNOW ETAL 3, 23,290

HIGH SPEED PUNCH V 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

Acfualar Circuit (Fig. 8)

INVENTORS Jacob Rabi/10w By John 6. Macdana/d A 7' TORNE Y5 March 1964 J. RABINOW ETAL 3,123,290

HIGH SPEED PUNCH INVENTORS Jacob Rabi/70w,

BY John 6. Macdana/d i ffgxww Arrqmvsrs March 3, 1964 Filed Oct. 31, 1962 J. RABINOW ETAL HIGH SPEED PUNCH Fig. 5

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I20 Tape Velocity I I 540 In- 1 Interpasar i 74, Actuator dawn FigJb 1 Hale up Punched 220 I Punch Stroke M figJc FigJa Id FigJa I I l l Dawn 77min; Cycle I F/ Id INVENTORS F. Jacob Rab/now 6 BY John a. Macdona/d Q Q, XWM I fl-mA w A TTORNEYJ' 3,1232% Patented Mar. 3-,v 1964 3,123,290 HIGH SPEED PUNCH Jacob'Rabinow, Bethesda, Md, and John- G. Macdonaid, Washington, D.C., assignors to Rahinow Engineering CO3, Inc.,,Rockville, Md.

Filed Oct. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 234,436 15 Claims. (Cl. 234-115) This invention relates to perforating apparatus and particularly to high speed punches for tapes of the type used in numerous data systems.

An enormous quantity of punched paper tape is used in the fields of data processing, machine control, communications, etc. In many instances, the machine which provides information by which to form the tape (e.g., a computer or computer-like device) has a far greater speed capacity than the punch machine. Our invention at least partially fulfills the need for higher speed punching.

Although there are many basic mechanisms for perforating a tape, most commercial punches are constructed to. operate in a somewhat similar manner. The tape is intermittently moved through a punch station. While the tape is in motion, the punch controller interposes punch members. which are selected in accordance with the desired code. When the tape stops, the entire set of punches. is actuated toward the holes in a stationary die plate. Only the interposed punches are driven through the tape because the non-interposed punches are of insufiicient length to pass through the tape and enter the holes of the die plate. The interposing step is accomplished in several ways,.but' the end result is the same in the difierent punch machines.

Conventional punched paper tape with which we are concerned, either already has sprocket holes when acquired, or the punch machine forms the sprocket holes in the tape before entering. the punch station. The sprocket holes assure that the tape is indexed a precise distance after each punching. cycle.

Most prior machines function along. the lines discussed above, and they are very reliable. However, they are complex and have inherent limitations which our invention overcomes. One limitation is that most commercial- 1y available machines are inherently slow speed devices. The accelerations of the individual parts of the machine and of the tape provide a rather low maximum operating speed;

An object of our invention is. to provide a comparatively simple tape punch machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tape punch machine which is not only simpler but substantially faster than the majority of prior punch machines. To accomplish this, our punch machine has unique means for intermittently moving the tape and unique means for perforating (punching codes into) the tape.

A punch machine in accordance with our invention has a tape indexing'mechanism made of a claw' which. continually operates in an orbital path. The. toothed edge of the claw remains substantially parallel to the portion of the tape which it engages. In other words, there is no significant tilting, of the claw during the orbital motion thereof for reasons that will be described later.

Our punch and die setsare of the interposing type. Although it is possible to interpose the punches as in prior machines,,we have a system which tends to further simplify the machine. We use interposers' with resilient, for

instance spring; steel dies, and oscillate the punch set.

We prefer to couple the punch set and claw as a part of a resonant system for both driving and synchronizing the claw and punch set. For this purpose, a single drive rod is actuated by a. rotary driver, and the rod is constrained to orbital motion at the claw-end thereof, with almost no tilting at the upper toothed edge of the claw. The punch set is connected by means of a flexible, resilient member to the other end of the drive rod, and the punch set is constrained to almost rectilinear motion by other resilient members. Thus, the rod due to its flexible connection with the'punch set, moves in a predetermined orbit at one end thereof, and drives the punch set in a substantially rectilinear path at the other end thereof.

Accordingly, another obje'ctof the invention is to provide a resonant mechanism for a punch machine, including a drive rod having. a claw or the equivalent which is moved in a predetermined orbital path of travel, and either a punch or die set driven by the same rod but in a substantially rectilinear path.

Other objects and features will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated form of the invention which is given by way of example only.

FIGURE 1 is a partially diagrammatic elevational view of our punch machine, certain parts being shown in section for clarity.

FIGURES la-la' are diagrammatic views showing the action of the punch operating mechanism during a full cycle.

FIGURES 1e and. 1 are schematic views (with clearances exaggerated) showing the tape feeding and punching procedures.

FIGURE 1g is an enlarged sectional view'showing the action of the punch and die sets while a code is being punched into the tape.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational View showing our interposers.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE l and showing the punch and die sets with the tape omitted.

FIGURE 4' is a perspective view of a tape guide and lifter, showing how the tape is guided and stopped by removing it from the path of travel of the claw of the mechanism.

FIGURE 5 is an irregular horizontal sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 1.

- FIGURE 6 is a timing cycle chart for the machine.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentarysectional view showing a modified interposer assembly.

FIGURE 8 is a view schematically showing a circuit for'the tape lifter.

Preface Although FIGURE 1 shows machine 10 to approximately full. scale, distances and relationships of parts, especially in FIGURES 1a1f,' are greatly exaggerated inview of the very small distances that the parts actually move. For instance, inone of our machines designed to operate at 400 characters per second, the entire vertical movement of the structure shown in FIGURES la1d is approximately .05 inch and the actual tape-punching takes place in about .015 inch. To complete the picture, the cyclingrate (single cycle shown in FIGURES la-ld) is 24,000 cycles per minute topunch at a rate of 400 codes per second.

Tape 12 is conventional in all respects. FIGURE 4 shows an eight-channel tape, although it. is obvious that machine It) can be either adjusted or constructed for punching five-channel, seven-channel, etc. tapes. Since the tape is conventional, it. has a longitudinal row of sprocket holes 1 and codes are punched as transverse rows in the tape. There is one sprocket hole 14 for each transverse row (code).

Referring to FIGURE 1, machine It) has frame 16 which supports several guides for tape 12. The tape is drawn through the machine from a supply (not shown) and is moved over guide 18 (lower part of FIGURE 1) between a set 20 of dies and a set 22 of punches, and through a guide channel 24 to the indexing station where the tape pulling force is applied to the tape by claw 28. The tape is constrained along its edges (FIGURE 4) at the feeding station, and is guided to a conventional takeup or accumulator (not shown). Channel 24 may have air pressure inlets 25 connected with a pneumatic source, so that the tape is supported on an air cushion to reduce friction. This is especially important where the tape is moved around a curve (shown).

The steps in a tape indexing and punching cycle are shown in FIGURES 1a1f. As main drive rod 3%) moves through the top of its stroke (FIGURE 1b), tape 12 is indexed, and as rod 3i) moves through the bottom of the same stroke (FIGURE 1d), the tape is punched. Starting with FIGURE 1a, rod is in a mid-position (between top position, FIGURE lb and lowered position, FIGURE 1d), and moves upward in a circular orbit to the right by the action of eccentric driver 32. As the top position (FIGURE 1b) is achieved, the teeth 27 along the upper edge 29 of claw 23 engage the sprocket holes of tape 12 at A (FIGURE 1b) and move it to the right. Then rod 36 (FIGURE 10) begins to lower causing teeth 27 to separate from the tape. As rod 30 approaches and reaches the bottom of its stroke (FIGURE 1d), the set of punches 22 perforate the part B of the tape at the punch station. Drive rod 30 then begins to rise and move to the left to commence the indexing portion of another cycle. As will be described later, the ideal motion of claw 28 is such that edge 29 remains exactly parallel to the tape at A (no tilting of claw 28 during the orbit of the upper end of rod 30). Further, the ideal motion of the punch set 22 is rectilinear. Neither ideal motion is achieved in punch machine 10, but the departures therefrom are so small that they are negligible.

Punch Machine The general structural arrangement (FIGURE 1) of machine It has already been mentioned. The mechanical motions shown in FIGURES la-lf are obtained as follows: drive rod 30 is comparatively long. A conventional eccentric driver 32, for instance, a bearing pressed in rod 3% and an eccentric captive therein, is connected to rod 30 as close as is practical to claw 28. The eccentric driver is rotated by shaft 38 of motor 4% which is diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 1. The motor is controlled by a conventional switch control circuit 42. The lower end of rod 30 is constrained by a resilient (e.g., spring steel) hinge member 44 attached to rod 36 and to the punch set block 23. Block 23 is constrained to substantially rectilinear movement normal to tape 12 at B (FIGURES 1d and 1e) by resilient leaves 46 and 48. These are secured to frame 16 and to punch set block 23 respectively. Since spring members 46 and 48 are cantilevered from frame 16, the punch set block 23 moves in a curved path instead of with true rectilinear motion. However, by having members 46 and 48 long with re spect to the stroke of the punch set 22, the curvature in the stroke (deviation from true rectilinear motion) can be made so small as to be neglected. The entire drive assembly including rod 30, claw 28, hinge member 44, springs 46, 48 and the punch set can be made resonant at the design speed of oscillation.

The upper edge of claw 28 should remain parallel to tape 12 during tape indexing because the strain in the tape is appreciable at high feeding rates. Therefore, we have a large number of teeth 27 (for instance fifteen or twenty) to simultaneously engage a corresponding number of sprocket holes 14 during tape-indexing. The large number of teeth would not serve the intended purpose of distributing the strain throughout a comparatively large tape area if they did not enter and withdraw from the sprocket holes simultaneously. Therefore, the edge 27 of claw 28 must remain essentially parallel to tape 12 during tape indexing. We realize that it is possible to have the claw-end of rod 30 move in a manner that clawedge 22 will always remain exactly parallel to tape 12. Duplication of eccentric drivers 32 would cause the claw to move in an exactly circular orbit with no undesired tilting of claw 28 during the orbit. But then a simple and/or resonant system could not easily be obtained. Without these features, very high operational speeds are accompanied by violent vibrations. Thus, the orbital motion of our claw 28 is made as a compromise with the ideal motion as follows: punch block 23 is constrained to substantially rectilinear movement by members 46, 48 which form aparallelogram with block 23 and a part of frame 16. Driver 32 imparts a rotary orbital motion to the claw end of rod 3%). Since spring member 44 which couples rod 30 to punch block 23 is a considerable distance from the driver 32, and the driver is very close to claw 28, the undesired tilting of edge 29 of claw 28 is so small that it can be neglected. In the machine whose design was discussed before, the tilting movement of edge 29 is .001 inch over a length of about two inches along the edge 29 of claw 28.

Attention is now directed to FIGURE 5 showing die set 26. The die set consists of a plurality of spring metal, cantilevered fingers 50 attached at one end to a part of frame 16. The die fingers have die holes 52 near their outer ends. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 1g, the die holes 52 are in alignment with the punches of set 22.

Interposers 54 (FIGURE 2) are also made of a plurality of spring fingers. They are secured at one set of ends to a support 53 which is fixed to frame 16. Clamp 55 (FIGURE 2) can be used for this purpose. In the rest position (FIGURE 1) the rear faces of interposers 54 contact surface 56 (FIGURE 2) of support 53. In the actuated position (FIGURE Ie) the interposers are flexed away from surface 56 to engage their notches 60 with the ends of dies 20 thereby preventing the interposed dies from flexing downward during the punch cycle. For simplicity notches 60 can be omitted (FIGURE 7), and a stationary stop 61 (attached to frame 15) used to limit the interposing motion of the interposers 54a, as shown in dotted lines. FIGURE 5 shows a group of push solenoids 62 and Bowden wires 64 as a typical actuation means for deflecting selected interposers in accordance with command signals provided by closing selected switches 66 shown as a part of a simplified control circuit. When the solenoids are de-energized, the mechanical energy stored in the deflected interposers helps to return the solenoids armatures to the normal position (FIGURE 1). Surface 56 (FIGURES 1e and 1)) is of appreciable area to act as a stop for the return movement of the interposers.

FIGURE lg shows the punching action of machine 10, where the second and sixth die of set 20 is interposed at the time that punch set 22 is moved down. Those dies which are not interposed flex downward (as shown) toether with a portion of the tape between them and their associated punches. The interposed dies, however, cannot lower, and the punch members associated with them perforate the tape.

As tape 12 passes through machine 10, it can be reasonably loosely confined except at the feeding station where it is constrained along one edge in channel 70 (FIGURE 4) secured to frame 16, and the other edge in channel 72 which is attached to tape lifter 74. The normal position of tape lifter 74 is in a position that channels 7t) and 72 are aligned. To stop the tape 12, we do not endeavor to suddenly stop the operation of claw 28. Instead, tape 12 is lifted away from the travel of the teeth 27 of claw 28 by elevating lifter 74. Since it is necessary (in the disclosed embodiment of the punch machine) to have the capability of stopping the tape on a single character (one transverse row), the tape lifter 74 must be actuated-very fast. Therefore, we have an electromagnetic actuator 76 (FIGURE 1) which is constructed similar to a loud speaker magnet and voice-coil assembly. Lifter 74 is connected to the voice-coil armature 75, and this is immersed in the flux field across the gap of the magnet. Actuator circuit 78 (FIGURE 8) shows how the voicecoil' armature is energized. If desired, the same circuit couldbe used to actuate, a clamp brake (either electromechanical or pneumatic, not shown) for the tape, in which case, it would automatically be synchronized with lifter 7 4.

Circuit 78 is merely a suitable means to assure that the actuator 74 is operated'only at the proper part of a punchfeed cycle of machine 16. Other means may be used for the same purpose so long as actuator 74 moves tape 12 out of (or into), the orbit of claw 28 after the claw has indexed the tape and during the punch stroke (FIGURE 1d, and curve 74a, FIGURE 6). Thus, the tape will always stop on a character position and start at the next index position when actuator 74 is reactuated.

Circuit 78 consists of a polarized relay 80 with two switch sections 82 and 84, the former connecting coil 75 with battery 86, and the latter having setsof contacts to cooperate with the machine stroke to time the energizing of coil 75 as follows. Cam 88 is attached to shaft 38 of motor 40, and it operates switch 8'9, allowing it to close only during the time that a stop signal will be tolerated. Switch 89 is in line 90 which is connected to the movable contact of relay 80 and the relay coil. Line 91 extends from the relay coil to battery 92 from which line 93 extends to one contact of normally open manual switches 94 and '95 which are on and off switches respectively. The other contacts of these switches are connected to the fixed contacts of the relay switch section 84 which is so arranged that either switch W! or 95 (not both) is connected in circuit with the relay coil and battery 92 via lines 90, 91 and cam-controlled switch 89.

The circuit is shown in the actuator energizing position (battery 86 connected through contact 82 to coil 75). It will remain in this condition until the off switch 95 is closed and the cam 88 closes switch 89 or allows it to close. Following the circuit for this step, when switch 95 is closed, cur-rent flows from battery 92 through switches 95 and 84 when switch 89 is closed, via line 90, the relay coil and line 91. Thus, the polarized relay operates to its second stable state (not shown) opening switch 82 (thereby dc-energizing voice coil 75), separating switch 95 fro-m the relay coil circuit, and connecting the on switch 94 in place thereof via switch section 84 of the relay 8%). Accordingly, closing switch 95 will now have no effect, but closing on switch 94- will again close the voice coil circuit (battery 86 and switch 82) in the proper time of punch machine cycle by cam controlled switch 83. Specifically, the closing of switch 94 connects battery 92 with the coil of relay 80 (causing it to actuate and close switch 82) via line 93, switch section 84, line 99, switch 89, line 93, the coil of the relay and line 91.

In reviewing the operation, attention is directed to FIGURES 1ald and also to FIGURE 6. When drive rod is in its mid-position (FIGURE 1a) claw 28 is free of or just beginning to engage tape 12, and the punch set 22 is spaced above a different portion of the tape. This position of rod 30 is called the zero degree position for curve 12 of FIGURE 6. When the rod orbits 180 (FIGURE 1c and curve 12a in FIGURE 6), the teeth of claw 23 engage the sprocket holes 14 in the tape (FIG- URE 1e) and move the tape a distance equal to spacing between a pair of adjacent holes 14-. During the time of tape-movement, the lower end of drive rod 30 rocks or hinges a very small amount due to the flexible connection 44 and action of the constraining members 4-6, 48. Punch set 22 moves upward (see curve 22a, FIGURE 6) during the tape-indexing part of the cycle. While the tape is being moved, one or more of the solenoids 62 can 6 be energized to actuate corresponding interposers 54' (see curve 54a, FIGURE 6).

- As rod 30 continues past the position (FIGURE 10) punch set 22 is moved downward toward the dieset 20 to approximately the 270 position (FIGURES Id and 1 at which the punch members will have entered the die holes of the interposed punches (FIGURE lg). Then as rod 30 return-s to the initial position (FIGURES 1 and 1a) the inte-rposers (curve 54a in FIGURE 6) are withdrawn.

The operating mechanism of my punch machine can be designed as a resonant system at the cycling speed. The advantages to be derived from a resonant system- 'have been discussed. However, our operating mechanismcan be operated at speeds other than resonant speeds.

It is understood that various changes, modifications and other alterations may be made without departing from the protection of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a high speed tape perforating apparatus; a claw; perforating means. and means attached to said claw and said perforating means for v '(a') moving said claw inv an orbital path to engage one portion of the tape and displace the tape portion and for Withdrawing from the tape while maintaining the tape engaging part of the claw substantially parallel to the engaged portion. of the tape, and

(b) concurrently moving said' perforating means in a direction substantially normal to another portion of the tape in time with said claw so that the tape is perforated when said claw is in a non-tape-displacing portion of its cycle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said claw moving means include a drive rod, rotary means at least several times closer to said claw than said perforating means to actuate said rod as described under (a), a flexure connection between said rod and said perforating means, and means to constrain said perforating means so that as said rotary means actuate said rod said perforating means are actuated as described under (b).

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said rod, flexure connection, constraining means and claw comprise a resonant system.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said perforating means include a set of punches; a set of resilient dies opposing said set of punches; and interposer means to interpose selected dies to cause the tape to be perforated at corresponding places when the set of punches is moved by said drive rod to engage the interposed dies.

5. In a high speed punch machine, means defining a punch station having punch members and dies, tape guide means to guide a tape through said station, means to intermittently move the tape including a claw, and a rod to which said claw is secured, means near said claw to orbitally move the part of said rod which has said claw in a path where the teeth of the claw engage the tape and move it and then disengage from the tape during a portion of the orbital movement of said rod and claw, means to constrain the portion of the tape engaged by said claw, and the teeth of said claw substantially simultaneously engaging a plurality of holes in the constrained portion of said tape and thereafter simultaneously disengaging therefrom.

6. In a high speed punch machine, means defining a punch station having punch members and dies, tape guide means to guide a tape through said station, means to intermittently move the tape including a claw, means to orbitally move said claw in a path where the teeth of the claw engage the tape and move it and then disengage from the tape during a portion of the orbital movement of said claw, means to constrain the portion of the tape engaged by said claw, and the teeth of said claw substantially simultaneously engaging a plurality of holes in the con strained portion of said tape and thereafter simultaneously disengaging therefrom, and means to discontinue the intermittent moving of said tape while said claw continues to operate, by separating the tape from the orbital path of movement of said claw.

7. The punch machine of claim 6 wherein said means to discontinue tape moving include means to synchronize the actuation thereof with a portion of a cycle of operation of the punch machine.

8. In a high speed tape punch machine, a frame, means defining a punch station, means connected with said frame for feeding the tape through said station, a punch set at said station, resonant means for oscillating said punch set at said station, dies at said station, interposing means for interposing selected dies so that a punch associated with an interposed die perforates the tape and the punches associated with the non-interposed dies fail to perforate the tape due to the flecture of the tape and non-interposed dies.

9. The punch machine of claim 8 wherein said tape feeding means include a tape indexer operatively connected with and driven by said resonant means, electrically operative means to discontinue tape indexing by separating the tape from said indexer, and means to synchronize said tape separating with said punch oscillating means to enable said separating means to operate only during a part of a machine cycle regardless of the time of the command signal to said electrically operative means.

10. The subject matter of claim 8 wherein said dies are leaf springs.

11. The subject matter of claim 8 wherein said interposing means are resilient members, and means to deflect selected interposing resilient members into the path of movement of said resilient dies.

12. The subject matter of claim 8 wherein said resonant means include a rod, means to actuate said rod in an orbital path of motion, and said tape feeding means driven by said rod in time With the oscillation of said punches.

13. The punch machine of claim 8 wherein said tape feeding means has a group of drive pins which remain substantially parallel to the tape as they are moved in an orbital path.

14. In a punch machine for a tape, the improvement comprising a structure having a claw at one end to engage and move the tape and means at the other end to punch the tape, a rotary driver to orbitally move the claw end of the structure, and means to constrain the punch end of the same structure to substantially rectilinear motion derived from said rotary driver.

15. The punch machine of claim 14 wherein said structure and constraining means form a resonant system at the speed of said driver.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 

1. IN A HIGH SPEED TAPE PERFORATING APPARATUS; A CLAW; PERFORATING MEANS. AND MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID CLAW AND SAID PERFORATING MEANS FOR (A) MOVING SAID CLAW IN AN ORBITAL PATH TO ENGAGE ONE PORTION OF THE TAPE AND DISPLACE THE TAPE PORTION AND FOR WITHDRAWING FROM THE TAPE WHILE MAINTAINING THE TAPE ENGAGING PART OF THE CLAW SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE ENGAGED PORTION OF THE TAPE, AND (B) CONCURRENTLY MOVING SAID PERFORATING MEANS IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO ANOTHER PORTION OF THE TAPE IN TIME WITH SAID CLAW SO THAT THE TAPE IS PERFORATED WHEN SAID CLAW IS IN A NON-TAPE-DISPLACING PORTION OF ITS CYCLE. 